GB1283605A - Improvements in or relating to hide pulling apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1283605 Skinning meat carcasses IWEL ENG Ltd and W H LIGHTFOOT 14 April 1970 [14 April 1969] 18941/69 Heading A2U Hides are removed from meat carcasses by an apparatus comprising means, e.g. an overhead conveyer 57, for supporting a carcass 56, a pair of hide gripping arms 38 pivoted to the lower ends of a pair of depending carrier frames 28, the arms 38 pivoting about axes parallel to the frames 28, and the frames 28, which as shown are triangular, being interconnected by cross members 29, 31 and swing- ing about a horizontal axis at their upper ends, and means, e.g. a hydraulic ram 33, for moving the carrier arms from the solid-line position shown, where the arms 38 encircle the carcass grippers on the ends of the arms 38 are engaged with the ends of a slit extending along the hide longitudinally of the carcass, to the chain-line position, at which position the hide has been pulled almost completely from the carcass, there being a support plate 26 associated with a stationary frame 10, 12 for resistance movement of the carcass during the pulling operation. The support plate 26 is moved in the opposite direction to the frames 28 by a ram 24 during the pulling operation. The rams 24, 33 are carried between a pair of plates 23 secured to the lower end of a vertical slide member 21 adjustable vertically by a jack 19 attached to the stationary frame 10, 12. Each of the grippers on the ends of the arms 38 comprises a hydraulic ram (48, Fig. 2, not shown) causing a moving jaw (60) having serrated teeth (49) to approach or move away from a fixed jaw (46) having serrated teeth (47). Each gripper is mounted on the respective arm 38 (or 37, Fig. 2), by a pivot allowing pivotal movement of the gripper in a vertical plane. The various rams are controlled by a panel 53 of push buttons, and by reversing or/and limit switch 54. The stationary frame 10, 12 is secured to ceiling joists 11 and carries a pump 50 and reservoir 52 for the hydraulic fluid.